I’m Still Here! What I’ve Been Doing, Consuming, and Thinking About in 2018

I know it’s been a little while . . . 7 weeks, to be exact! But 7 is my favourite number (my birthday is 7/7) so it felt like as good a time as any to make a return. :)

There are so many things I want to share right now. I’m a big believer in only writing blog posts when you feel like you have something to say, rather than forcing yourself to stick to a strict schedule. I have also taken enough short periods of time off from the blog to learn that distance always helps me generate new ideas—and after 7 weeks, I now have an abundance of them! But first, I want to share some general updates on what I’ve been doing, consuming, and thinking about so far this year.

What I’ve Been Doing

As you probably imagined, I’ve spent the majority of the past 7 weeks promoting The Year of Less. I knew I would have to leave a couple weeks of my calendar open for any possible press opportunities, but I was not prepared for how all-consuming this launch would become. The week before it came out, Raincoast Books (my Canadian distributor) told me they were making it one of their lead titles of the season, which also meant they would be setting up a bunch of Canadian press, etc. That’s when I learned that book launches are a HUGE TEAM EFFORT. I honestly feel like I won the lottery, and have no idea how I got so lucky to have an entire team of people working on this for me. I mean, I know now that this is how they make a living too! But up until a week before the book came out, I genuinely had no idea how this part of the publishing process worked. It’s all been so fascinating, and I’m just extremely grateful to be part of this experience.

So for the past 7 weeks, I have been doing A LOT of press. In the first week alone, I did 30 interviews (more than half of which were radio). I also got to do my first live TV interviews in Vancouver, and am now in Toronto to do more (I talked to Ben Mulroney yesterday! And was a guest on THE SOCIAL!). I was SO overwhelmed by how many friends in the personal finance + minimalism spaces reached out and offered to have me on their podcasts, spread the word, do giveaways, etc. (Thank you, thank you, thank you, my friends!) And then a couple big things happened I still can’t really believe!? Like Vogue listed TYOL as 1 of 7 nonfiction books to change your life in 2018. CBC Books listed it as a work of Canadian nonfiction to watch out for. And then there was this little article in The New York Times . . . yep, I’m still pinching myself about that one.

It has been an incredible time, friends. And something I can’t imagine I will ever experience again!? I mean, I guess I could write more books and have more launches. But TYOL will only come out once, so I have been trying to soak it all up! As such, I haven’t been doing a whole lot of, you know, actual work!? Whenever I have downtime, I’ve been trying to get some quality time in with family/friends, and also going out for walks/snowshoe adventures (and sharing pics of those on Instagram). I’m so grateful for the interviews, but they can also drain my usually-introverted self. But after this little Canadian book tour, I am guessing the press will die down and things can go back to business as usual. I’m still not sure what the “usual” looks like, because it feels like a lot has changed, and the book has opened up some doors I didn’t even know were an option for me before!? But slowly and surely, I will figure this stuff out.

The one thing I have been working on is a new season of the podcast! We’re already three-quarters of the way through season 5, which wraps up at the end of March. You can catch up on all eps here!

What I’ve Been Consuming

Ok, so aside from doing all the things related to the book launch, there’s one thing I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about + trying to change this year, and that’s how I’m consuming information. It started with my decision to cancel my Netflix membership. That’s something I was toying around with for a month or so, then pulled the plug in early January and have been living without it ever since. I will write a full post about this soon, but for now I will say that it is not my intention to never watch Netflix again. I just entered 2018 knowing I wanted to spend less time watching television—and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Here’s a list of the books I’ve read, podcasts I’ve been listening to, and blogs/newsletters I’ve been enjoying this year.

As you might notice, a lot of them have been on the topic of creativity (although Ally’s memoir has definitely been my fave). I’m also in the middle of reading: Meet Cute, Let the Elephants Run and Scratch.

Being Boss – an old fave I have been listening to since they first launched in January 2015

I’ve also been listening to basically every interview Ruthie Lindsey has done (just search her name in iTunes and you’ll find some) and I think I read she’s starting a podcast!? Fingers crossed that’s true.

Blogs/Newsletters

At the beginning of this year, I deleted my Feedly account and decided to change the way I find/read blogs. Instead of scrolling through hundreds (even thousands) of blog post titles each week, I have started signing up for people’s newsletters again—and I am loving getting the updates and inspiration delivered right to my inbox. Here are some of the ones I’ve been enjoying. If you have any faves, please tell me about them!

and I support my friends Tammy + Nicole and love the newsletters for their members

(As a side note: this is the exact opposite of how I have been consuming content for the past few years, so here’s a reminder that you are allowed to change the way you do things.)

What I’ve Been Thinking About

Aside from cancelling Netflix, one of the other reasons I’ve been able to change the way I consume information in 2018 is because Jay and I both stopped working on Rockstar Finance at the beginning of the year. For the past three years, it has been my job to read as many blog posts published in the personal finance space as possible. That was an incredible privilege, and I am so grateful that we were able to help so many bloggers by sharing their amazing content on the site! But it wasn’t until walking away that I realized how many hours I would get back each week—and that I would have so many other interests and ideas for what to do with them!

I have become obsessed with the idea of finding inspiration from other sources. That means not consuming as much of what’s created by people in the same space, but instead consuming content created by people who are in entirely different fields. I’ve been reading about design (and following more designers/makers on Instagram), writing, baking and what it means to live more seasonally. I have also thought a lot about creativity, and some of my fears (and also big ideas!) around what it means to live a more creative life. I don’t know what all of this means for me yet, but it feels really good to be exploring new topics and thinking outside the box.

One thing I know for sure: I’m so happy to “be back”! I have missed writing and missed you. And I’d love to hear how 2018 has been for you, so far. :)

Posts navigation

Hey Kait, love your thoughts on taking a break and posting only when you have something meaningful to say. Really inspired by your story and all your amazing progress, and comforting to hear about your interests in a lot of different creative spaces. I’m a writer, and recently attended the Create + Cultivate conference in LA – it was so inspiring to meet other entrepreneurial women who weren’t necessarily trying to quit their day jobs and build a million dollar business, but just wanting to play bigger, use their creative talents to add value to people’s lives in a more meaningful way. And there was SO MUCH TALK about having too many ideas, too many interests – which I think is a sign of a true creative. Steve Jobs talked about how his weird interest in taking calligraphy classes as a technologist led to the (beautiful, amazing) UX of all Apple products. Anyway, thanks for the post and good luck with the rest of the press junket!

“I have become obsessed with the idea of finding inspiration from other sources.” Ooooh yes—than you for this, it’s something I need to do too. Thanks for the inspiration and I’m so glad to hear 2018 has been treating you well! x

Cait, I have read your book (from our local Library) and it was wonderful! Thank you for writing it. It has been part of my 2017-18 theme – decluttering, organizing, living with less, cutting back the unnecessary things, paying more attention to my husband and our two boys who will soon enough be finishing high school instead of starting it. Life just moves too fast some days! :) Thanks again for being part of my examination of what we have, what we need, and what we love in our home.

Yay, it’s always a good day when there’s a post from you! The book launch sounds overwhelming in a good way, and I’m glad you’re enjoying it! 2018 has been ridiculously, unexpectedly BUSY for me. So busy that I haven’t had time to go through the business module in A Simple Year, which is actually pretty hilarious! I’m trying to slow down and also trying to spend less time mindlessly scrolling (oh hey, how convenient that Tammy’s doing the digital module right now! I really, REALLY need to make the course a priority), so here’s to a much less busy and chaotic year going forward.

I have both Big Magic and Bored and Brilliant out from the library right now, and can’t wait to read them. Also, I’m still catching up on the last season of Real Talk Radio, oops! There’s an FI blogger in this season?! Must go listen immediately!!

Her story was so interesting! Hope you enjoy the podcast and the books! Also, Tammy’s module was a game-changer for me a couple years ago—especially the part about how to organize files on my computer.

Yes! While sometimes you hate to wait for your favorite bloggers to post, it’s much more enjoyable when posts were created with intent and not just fulfilling a daily expectation. I used to watch so much T.V. years ago and realized I was no longer reading or doing anything productive. We got rid of our cable package and only have streaming platforms. Some places have a limited amount of shows or channels, so it definitely helped by not having every channel and being able to DVR everything!

I love that you mention the limited amount of shows, because I’ve realized that Netflix having SO much content is one of the things that eventually made it feel so overwhelming for me. Anyway, that’s for another day. Thanks for still checking in on me. ;)

Cait,
I picked your book up at Barnes & Noble in Phoenix, AZ for a trip to Hawaii. We live in Indiana but stopped for a few days to visit friends in AZ. I couldn’t put it down. It certainly made the 7-hour flight to Honolulu go by quickly. I have been on a simplified journey for a few years. I am also a writer, a blogger, a reader, a speaker and a journaler (if that is a word)! hahaha We love to travel and visited all 50 states in the US and Canada and the Dominican Republic but haven’t ventured too far outside of North America. My word for the year is SIMPLIFY and that means in all areas. I am working on overall health and well-being – emotional, work, home, technology, stuff, etc. Your book was amazing! I am planning to promote it on my own social media. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I am a new follower of your blog and looking forward to what’s to come! Congratulations on your book tour and all of the success of this wonderful creation of your very own art of writing! I love it!

Thank you so much for reading + supporting the book, Deanna! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and that it fit into your word/theme for the year. I love finding things at what feels like the exact right time. :)

I love Becoming Minimalist (Joshua Becker’s site) and Joy the Baker’s Let it Be Sunday. Both have curated reading lists on the weekend that are, in the first case, validating and helpful for staying on track and thought provoking in the second case (I just ignore the links to clothes and such – the articles she finds are great). I also love Frugalwoods but am pretty sure you read Liz’ blog anyway. Just some suggestions – feel free to ignore them!
I read Big Magic when it came out and have since reread it. She is such a good writer and the topic is spot on.
Glad you are back and posting again!

Hi Cait,
I have been a long-time follower but never post or read comments so I am long overdue to say Hi. Just want to say I am so so happy for you! I read your book last week, in one sitting, and so much of it resonated with me. It gave me lots to think about and was very inspiring. Excited to see what you do next. And thank you for the podcast recommendations. You turned me on to Real Talk Radio which I love so I will definitely be checking these out. Also, in your post you talked about cancelling Netflix, I pretty much gave up tv and most social media last year as an experiment in order to make more time for reading. I had always loved to read and wanted to be able to read more books and it has been awesome. Nothing against tv, I’m sure I’m missing some great stuff but for me reading is just better. Amazes me that it took me so long to figure this out about myself. You really can change the way you do things. Good luck on your mini-book tour!

I think the key phrase in there is knowing that it’s ok to “miss some great stuff”! We literally can’t consume everything. So what do we really want? That’s what I keep coming back to. Thank you for reading + supporting the book, Danielle! <3

I’m so glad you’re back, Cait! The internet and social media specifically is such a weird place because I knew you hadn’t written anything here for a while, but thanks to Instagram, you’ve still been around. But, it is nice to hear from you in a more meaty way.

I love that you’ve changed the way you consuming internet content. I also got rid of Feedly and Bloglovin and now read posts as I get them in my inbox or see them on Twitter. I’ve noticedy consumption of audio content is way down this year so far. I don’t know if that’s because I started Tiny Bites, or because audio content is just really draining for me (it just is, I don’t know why). But, I’d like to get back to my faves like yours, 10% Happier and Balanced Bites.

Good luck on your tour!! I’ve never been more sad to not live in Toronto than I am today!

I just wanted to leave a comment to say thanks. In a very “meta” moment, you helped relieve me of some overwhelm by seeing how you structure your writing, your blogs, and your thoughts around writing. The freedom that allowed me helped me put into words something that I’ve struggled with for a long time: growing as a person, writer, and business owner whilst feeling like I’m barely surviving as it is.

OH MY GOD YOU’RE BACK!!! I have faithfully checked your blog once every two days since you disappeared (true story) and today was the day I was waiting for! Another blog post! HURRAH! Seriously your blog posts are my favorite and I need them almost as much as I need iced coffees and pizza (and that says something). So happy that you’ve been doing well and that your book has been such a great success so far! Can’t wait to hear more about what you’ve been up to :)

Congrats on all of the success! You so deserve it and it’s been really great following along and cheering you on.

I always find that the best inspiration comes from exploring as many different topics as possible. There are lots of people that are experts in one particular space. There are far fewer that can draw together information from far flung subjects to learn new lessons.

Well and I don’t even know that I want *ideas* from other people. I’m just inspired by seeing artists, designers, illustrators, cooks/bakers, etc. CREATE STUFF. They do the work + put it out there. That feels really amazing to me, right now. :)

Welcome back! I’ve also cancelled my Netflix subscription this year and have taken a HUGE step back from watching t.v. or movies. Now, I just do one t.v. night a week where I catch up on a couple favorite shows with my husband, and the rest of the nights I spend reading or working on hobbies. It’s been so great! It’s meant I’ve already finished 13 books this year (and am close to finishing two more this week), and I’ve been getting to bed waaaaay earlier. It feels so good!

Hi Cait, If you want to live more seasonally, I’d recommend moving back to Ontario :) This idea is intriguing, and I look forward to hearing more about it. I also enjoy hearing how people spend their time when the tv is no longer monopolising time, space and energy. Podcast has been very interesting, and certainly different than B&C was. I think I like the new theme, but I miss hearing about how you and Carrie got into freelancing, and what that looks like now. Anyways, here’s to hoping spring is just around the corner!

… And I really love to be reading how well you’ve been doing over the last several months, Cait!
It was also really cool to watch you being interviewed on The Social (a TV show that I watch regularly).
Although, unlike others, I do live in Toronto, sadly I am unable to get downtown tonight to attend your book tour Toronto appearance but I hope you have a great evening.

As for my wife and myself, well 2018 has so far been going pretty well for us, a few health issues (nothing serious), and our investments have been doing well as I hope yours have as well. All in all, no complaints. Being retired, we tend to live comfortably and yet frugally (although maybe not as much as yourself, oh famous author of The Year of Less – lol!). Long term we still have our goals – ie., financially helping out our kids, grandkids with their RESPs, TFSAs, and whatever else they may need help with, assuming of course that each of them does their fair share of the heavy lifting as well (no free lunches, right? – lol)

Anyway, all the best Cait and here’s hoping for a great year ahead for you. Take care, buddy!

Congrats again on the book! I gobbled it up within just a few days and I enjoyed every second. Thanks for your candor!

I think it’s a fantastic idea to draw ideas/inspo from people unlike yourself. If you read only personal finance books, you’ll think only about personal finance. I got a lot of great ideas from reading for my job in marketing, actually. There’s a lot of interesting stuff out there about the psychology of persuasion, and how we’re told by companies to buy their products. I’d recommend reading “Contagious” to learn more; it’s pretty neat.

Hi Cait
I just saw you being interviewed by Ben Mulroney on CTV Your Morning and you are inspirational! I have been on a similar journey and I am always grateful to learn from people like you pursuing a simpler and sustainable life and doing more with less and so I think you would enjoy reading this blog: Reading My Tea Leaves. I look forward to reading your book and your blog! Thank you for your inspiration!

Great to hear from you again, Cait! My 2018 has, so far, been spent consuming books (including yours–loved it!) and discovering podcasts. I’m not sure how it took me so long to get on the podcast bandwagon, but not only am I having a great time listening to your podcast, I’m also walking to and from work a whole lot more because I like to listen while I walk. And I’m developing a love of snowshoeing! How wonderful to live in Vancouver, next to the mountains! In addition to all of that, I’m looking for more inspiration for things to read/consume because life is feeling chaotic and out of control lately. I think the answer is in growth and change of mindset. Your post is quite timely. :)

Ooo, yay for falling in love with snowshoeing! I’m hoping to get up into the mountains a couple times, when I get back home later this month. Enjoy the new content you find—and don’t be afraid to let go of stuff that is no longer serving you! We can’t keep up with everything. :)

Great to have you back, Cait. Congratulations on TYOL, you were the first finance blogger I properly started following, so I’m genuinely pleased to see you doing so well!
Onwards and Upwards!
Love FS x

Dear Cait, I just finished reading your book “The Year Of Less”. You are half my age, but as I read your book, I felt like you were writing about me. I’m a binge everything. Binge eater, binge drinker, binge spender. I’ve been that way my entire life. When you described going down to the kitchen at night and taking the bag of chocolate chip cookies, intending to eat a few, but ending up eating the entire bag and hiding “The evidence”, that was me, as a child. The only difference was that I took a six pack of Hershey bars and are them all at once. I’ve paid off and run up my credit card balance more times than I can count. I’ve gained and lost more weight than I can count. I’ve been obsessive-compulsive about having things in order since I was a child. Your book made me look at myself in a new light. Keep on keeping on, Cait. Then you won’t be 67 years old and starting over (again), like me.

Thanks for catching up. Just a little note to let you know that I always check out your blog for new ideas or when I start to feel like things are out of control for me, you always give me the motivation to abandon my discouraged attitude and to just start where I am instead of waiting for a more comfortable time to arrive. Thanks for the continuous motivation. Proud of everything you’ve accomplished – you deserve it!

I love that you are getting inspired by so many things Cait! I absolutely loved The Year of Less and could relate to many things, too many to list here in this comment, but know that your book made me think hard about some things, and I feel that that is the takeaway (I think!) most authors enjoy. As readers, you learn and utilize the tools that have been shared with you, and you move forward. Sorry if I am rambling, sleep deprivation with a baby is no joke :)

This was a welcome surprise to find :) Can’t wait to see what you have coming up and glad to hear the tour has been a success!

Do you track what you’d like to read/are reading on Goodreads at all? I’ve found it to be a lovely source for my own records (helping me remember what people have recommended, what I need to request from the library, and what I’ve read recently when people ask!). I’d love to follow you if you’re there!

Also, TTFA is one of my favorite podcasts. If you haven’t read Nora’s book, definitely add it to your list!! As a Minnesotan, I felt I especially identified with certain pieces of her grieving which made me wonder if we’re just alike in personality, or if there’s something regional that impacts the loss process.

I just started using Goodreads at the beginning of this year! I’m not keeping track of all the things I “want to read” but am instead just tracking how many books I’ve read. And yes, I loved Nora’s book! https://www.goodreads.com/caitflanders

So glad to see you back on here! I also think it’s great you cancelled your Netflix just for the next while. I never signed up for Netflix for the same reasons you cancelled yours – and I still feel like I don’t have enough time to relax and do nothing! Anyways, congrats on the book launch!

I am a first time visitor to your blog. I wanted to let you know how great your book is! I stayed up till midnight last night to finish it. You really spoke to me and at times I felt like you were in my head, reading my mind. I have been reading about minimalism lately. I found your book in Amazon after reading Goodbye Things. I read my Kindle more and more as it is cheaper and takes up less space than paper books. In 2016, I moved back to my parent’s home after my divorce. I went from a house to one room. My stuff quickly became overwhelming, and my spending out of control. You really inspired me to clean up my act in every way, and I have been happily decluttering and rethinking my spending. Thanks for everything. Jennie

Can imagine you have been very busy with the book launch. I can’t help but agree with the whole idea of wanting to watch less television (equally for me is watching less rubbish on YouTube). I want to instead read more (aside from things for my University study) as well as listening to some informative podcasts. I’m surprised you’ve had enough time to manage it yourself recently but it is certainly a great idea.

I just signed up for your Edmonton presentation – let me know if you need a local ‘fixer’ or a place to stay! You’ve done amazing things so remember to pause a moment amidst the chaos and take it all in. You have legions of fans cheering you on!

Dear Cait,
I can’t express how helpful, honest, and accessible your book is. I read it in two days! I have been overconsuming for a long time, especially since my 35 year old son was diagnosed with brain cancer and my 85 year old dad was diagnosed the frontotemporal dementia and melanoma; all 3 live with me. After reading your book it is clear to me I’ve been trying to make myself feel better about this sad situation through consumerism. You not only provided a road map on how to address this problem, but you reminded me to find the joy in my life with the people I love. Thank you for sharing so openly about your hard won insights and epiphanies.

Your book was a huge inspiration for me to gain more control over my own life, stuff, and things, Heading towards a debt-free, more simple life of fulfillment. Also to note, I love Frugalwoods.com for a blog as well. So much financial insight. Thank you, Cait for your open and honest life that brings light and life to others.

Hi Cait, I’m almost done with your book, and first, thank you for sharing your stories and inspiring others to become more mindful in their lives. I just have a quick question, as a book a holic myself, how did you get access to books while on your shopping ban? Its the one thing I don’t think I can go without, and libraries (at least where I live) do not carry new releases.
Thanks and keep inspiring you’re doing good things for humans :)

I loved your book! Thank you for sharing so much of yourself. I’m wondering who you invest with? Who do you trust? Though I have a credit union, im finding them kind of sales person-y lately. And A lot of info online is for the US.

Hello Cait glad to see you’re back! I just finished TYOL and I’m just very thankful for how vulnerable you were when writing the book. I’m going through something kind of similar in the way of big life changes (graduating, getting married, moving away for the 1st time, and moving away from my family who really depends on me (I’m the oldest too)). I truly appreciated your reflections on the changes in your life and the changes in yourself. Thank you again!

I just discovered your book after cancelling audible and being more dependant on the library’s version. I’m so inspired! I hope I can find a way to be accountable and quit my over consumption, I am desperate to be clutter free and to stop wasting money on stupid stuff that just adds to the clutter.
As an artist I love that you are moving into the zone of creativity!
Off to check out your podcast.

If you’re interested in reading about creativity, I must recommend Julia Cameron. I have read ‘The Artist’s Way’ and ‘The Right to Write’ and found them both to be inspirational as well as full of practical applications (like your book:))

Dear Cait,
Congratulations on the book launch success! Well earned after all the hard work you’ve put into it. It must be such a relief, too, to know that you have such a great team behind you :)
Your comment about blogging when there’s something to say vs blogging on a schedule really struck a chord. There are so many pros out there telling you that if you want your blog to take momentum you need to stick to a schedule and be predictable. Funny, when life isn’t predictable at all… Looking forward to seeing what prompts new blog posts from you. And thank you for the reminder to take care of ourselves and let go of what we need to in order to pursue our dreams.
Godspeed!